any hint for a beginner?
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location:
Posts: 295
any hint for a beginner?
Next year will be my first year duck hunting, I was able to buy some GHG decoys on clearance at Dicks the other day. I have a call and can use it. I also have a gun and a 10 ft john boat that I plan on using. I know the laws and have a few state game land spots to hunt. What I need help with is how to set up my decoy spread, how far apart should they be placed? how early do i need to start setting up before sunrise? Also when your waiting for the ducks should i be calling the whole time till i hear or see them or just throw out a few quacks ever now and then? thank you for any help.
#3
Here is a little video of one of my setups. Not the greatest video but it might give you some idea of just how simple it can be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etPwPDcloc8
Good luck and happy hunting.
#4
first thing i do is depending on the wind i set my decoys some on my right and some on my left leaving a big hole in front of me for them to land and i usually spred my birds about five feet apart from each other so their not hitting each other but close enough to look real realism is the key to waterfowl hunting spend you summer and spring watching the bird and see how they set on the water and how they talk to each other also the colder the temp the closer the birds will be to each other and the warmer the temp the farther apart they will be the most important thing you can do though is learn from each season and have fun happy hunting
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: MN USA
Posts: 1,392
You need to setup your decoys where you've seen ducks sitting, feeding, resting before. The wind needs to be from your back. Ducks and geese will almost always land directly into the wind.
Search on the web for different decoy layout shapes. A roughly "J" shape with the long end of the J diagonally our curving in toward you has worked well for me. Keep the closest decoys within 10-15 yards. Leave enough open spaces for birds to land within range.
Don't overcall, especially when ducks are in closer. Let them want to come in and land. A mistake / off sounding call can send the ducks (or geese) away as fast as any movement. Cover your face with face paint or cammo cover. I don't even like to look up a the birds directly, until I'm about to get up to shoot. Obviously, you need to know where they're at... Just know they can see and hear you better than you can them. If you're going to hunt out of your boat, it's got to be well hidden, too.
Have fun!
Search on the web for different decoy layout shapes. A roughly "J" shape with the long end of the J diagonally our curving in toward you has worked well for me. Keep the closest decoys within 10-15 yards. Leave enough open spaces for birds to land within range.
Don't overcall, especially when ducks are in closer. Let them want to come in and land. A mistake / off sounding call can send the ducks (or geese) away as fast as any movement. Cover your face with face paint or cammo cover. I don't even like to look up a the birds directly, until I'm about to get up to shoot. Obviously, you need to know where they're at... Just know they can see and hear you better than you can them. If you're going to hunt out of your boat, it's got to be well hidden, too.
Have fun!
#6
I get up about an hour before sunrise to put up decoys,and call all the time,unless birds are coming in.If their passing or leaveing call because you have nothing to lose.Put up a few birds in a v,and attach them to a jerk line and pull them back and forth
#7
were are you hunting? cuz in florida most of the spots including sta/goodwin/brodmore a jon boat will do nothing for you because of how shallow most areas are. me and my friend bring a 15ft canoe and thats usually just incase but we have only used it once to get across a small canal
#9